


I Kinda wanna be Your Best Friend

by Bini_28



Series: Bullying Kuroo [4]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Idiots in Love, Insecure Yamaguchi Tadashi, Jealousy, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:47:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28221144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bini_28/pseuds/Bini_28
Summary: Yamaguchi has a best friend - Tsukishima is the one closest to him, his safe, comforting place - and he is also in love with him.But why would Tsukishima, who is way above his league, like him back? Especially when the much-better-at-everything-and-also-very-handsome Kuroo exists?
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi, implied Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei - Relationship
Series: Bullying Kuroo [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2028145
Comments: 5
Kudos: 83





	I Kinda wanna be Your Best Friend

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of my favorite tskym fics I wrote! ahh I love them so much
> 
> Title is inspired from Best Friend by Rex Orange County

Yamaguchi knew having one best friend had its good and bad sides. The good side was the comfort of being around Tsukishima. Yamaguchi was always happier, more confident when he was near his best friend. It was the knowledge he always had someone to turn to, to trust. He could tell Tsukishima anything, they knew everything about each other - no point keeping secrets from the other person.

The bad side was that when he wasn't near Tsukishima, or at times when his friend was distant because of a bad mood or his introverted nature, he felt so deeply alone. He had other friends, and he liked hanging out with them, but it was nothing like being with Tsukishima.

Tsukishima was his world, there was no other way to say it. Since elementary school, he was the most stable thing in Yamaguchi's life. Yamaguchi could not imagine where he would be now if he never met the tall, quiet, sometimes mean guy. He was more than just depending on Tsukishima. It was a relationship of mutual trust, empathy and growth. Every Tsukishima-related emotion Yamaguchi felt was much stronger than every other emotion. He was more than just excited every time Tsukishima encouraged him, he was more than simply down when Tsukishima was colder than usual, he was more himself around Tsukishima, more honest and even more confident. 

So of course, when Yamaguchi realized he had a crush on his best friend, it was much more than a crush. It wasn't a sudden realization, because he was always blushing when standing next to Tsukishima who was so cool and intimidating yet his friend, and his heart was always rushing as he tried to prove himself to Tsukishima, and of course he would want to be close to him, they were best friends. 

Only when he was 15 Yamaguchi realized he actually did want more than what they currently have. He wanted the physical intimacy, the mutual affection and validation.  
But this was the one thing he never told Tsukishima, because no way the other felt the same, and as long as he was close to Tsukishima, there was no reason for him to want to risk a change.

There was one thing that made it unbearable, a feeling that came and went even before he fell in love, but became stronger. A feeling that appeared every time Tsukishima was hugged and complimented excitedly after a good block by the players who were actually good enough to be on the court, or when Tsukishima got an invitation to that training camp where he would go without Yamaguchi and he would be left alone at school for the week, or whenever they were up against Nekoma during their practice matches and their captain would look at Tsukishima with a deadly look and a contradicting smile.   
The feeling was jealousy, and Yamaguchi was suffering. Especially because of the last   
part. 

Yamaguchi was never the most confident person, he could not avoid comparing himself to literally anyone else around him. And it was very easy to compare himself to Kuroo, because Kuroo was confident, so confident, and intelligent and actually good at serving and blocking and he actually managed to convince Tsukishima to eventually practice with him at the summer training camp. He was everything Yamaguchi wanted to be - tall, handsome, popular, and the appreciated captain of his team. 

After the summer training camp, Tsukishima started talking about Kuroo more often, and in a less cynical tone than he used to. It might just have been appreciation, but Yamaguchi’s worried mind gave it another explanation. Something might be going on between the two. He noticed how Kuroo would put his hand on the other middle blockers shoulder when they stood next to each other, or how he started calling him by the nickname that belonged to Yamaguchi and Yamaguchi only. Tsukishima wasn't necessarily returning any affection to the captain, but it was Tsukishima, he wasn't affectionate even if he was held at gunpoint.

Yamaguchi tried to suck it up for a while, telling himself it's okay if his best friend had another close friend, if his crush is dating someone else. But as nationals were right around the corner, and rumor said that Nekoma made it too, Yamaguchi knew he wouldn't be able to bear seeing his best friend next to Kuroo again, not unless he does something about it.

Speaking up to Tsukishima was often hard. Yes, they were very open with each other, but usually, Yamaguchi didn't have anything especially personal and touchy to tell, so there was no problem. This time it wasn't the case - he needed to bring up the emotions related to Tsukishima. It was scary. What if Tsukishima did like Kuroo, so the moment Yamaguchi brings it up he will tell him he doesn't need him as a friend anymore? Even if he was wrong and nothing was between the two, maybe Tsukishima will get mad at him for picking up on his personal issues. And how can he bring it up without admitting his own feelings to Tsukishima?

An opportunity arrived a few weeks later. They were at Yanaguchi's house, and finished studying for an English test together.

"Are you excited about going to Nationals, Tsukki?" Yamaguchi asked.

"Yeah, I guess. It's great that we made it so far. Kuroo's far more excited though, he texts me almost every day with a countdown, '21 days until we meet again, Tsukki', shit like that."

Yamaguchi's heart sank. "Oh. Oh, cool. Are you happy to see him again so soon?" he was careful with his words.

"I wouldn't call it happy, but I'm waiting for it."

"Waiting?"

"We would beat them on Nationals eventually, so I'm waiting for that,"

"Only that?" Yamaguchi

"Yamaguchi, what with these questions?" Tsukishima read him easily as usual.

"I... Um... Dunno... It's just that you and Kuroo..." Yamaguchi's voice faded nervously. 

"What about us?"

"I might be wrong, but you two... Um... Are you more than just friends?" he said it so quietly he thought maybe Tsukishima didn't hear him. He hoped so. 

Tsukishima snorted so loud it sounded like he's choking.

"What?" Yamaguchi asked, what the hell did that mean? 

"You thought I was dating Kuroo?" 

"Yeah, no, maybe, I don't know, I wasn't sure," Yamaguchi looked away from his best friend, embarrassed. 

"If I had to make a list of people to date, Kuroo would be so far in the bottom of that list it would be like the second page of results on google" Tsukishima, of course, could not avoid a mean remark, "He's decent, but still, annoying as hell, I would rather watch one of these stupid romcoms with Akiteru than date him" 

"Who's on the top of that list?" the question escaped Yamaguchi's mouth without thinking. 

"I never actually made that list, you know, I just said that if I would, Kuroo would be the last person there," Tsukishima said. 

"So... I ask... Hypothetically." Yamaguchi hated himself for not leaving this subject. He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to that, because surely, it won't be him on the top of Tsukishima's list. He wasn't even sure if his friend liked guys. 

"Who will you put on the top of your list?" Tsukishima returned the question. 

Yamaguchi's answer was obvious, but did he really want to say it right now? After he embarrassed himself with asking about Kuroo, and asked Tsukishima a stupid question. 

"I... Um... You." Yamaguchi spoke without thinking again, something unusual most of the time, but not when he was with Tsukishima. "I mean, there isn't anyone else I'm interested in, like, romantically, and you're my best friend, so if I had to pick someone to date-" 

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima said. Yamaguchi looked further away, hoping he covered himself well enough. He hoped Tsukishima would believe he is simply okay with them dating and not completely in love with him. 

"Sorry, Tsukki, I didn't mean it like that I just-"

Tsukishima grabbed his arm. Yamaguchi turned back to look at him and found Tsukishima to be closer than expected. Not too close to create tension, but it was intimate.

"Think about it logically - if the person on the bottom of the list is provocative, often loud, independent, laid back and hella annoying, it makes sense that the person on the first place would be polite, timid, reliable, hardworking and the nicest guy I know." 

Tsukishima said like he meant someone specific, but Yamaguchi didn't understand, he just stared blankly at Tsukishima's (very handsome) face. "I meant you, you idiot," 

Suddenly, Yamaguchi got all red and flustered. His heart ached from beating so hard. He was on the first place on Tsukishima's hypothetical 'people he wanted to date' list, just like he was on Yamaguchi's. 

"Wait... You... You..." he could not form a proper sentence, so he just leaned forward to squeeze Tsukishima in a hug. Tsukishima wrapped his arms around the younger boy's body.

"You're shaking," Tsukishima noted. He was. He was excited and shocked and happy and overwhelmed by thoughts.

"Well, yeah! I finally confessed to you, do you have any idea how stressful it was?" Yamaguchi said into Tsukishima's chest. 

"You call that a confession? You asked me if I'm dating Kuroo and then went off about my non existing list of people to date" 

"Sorry, Tsukki!" Yamaguchi said instinctively, still hiding at the embrace. Even though the two were close, they were never that affectionate with touch. It was very nice though. "I didn't confess because... I don't know, I thought you will never think of me that way," 

"You're an idiot," Tsukishima said, but in a soft voice. 

"I'm the idiot? So why didn't you confess to me?" 

"I..." Tsukishima's voice faded quickly and Yamaguchi understood - he would never admit to it, but he was afraid the feeling wasn't mutual as well. He was afraid of having his heart broken, after all these years of trying not to be emotionally attached to people. Yamaguchi wanted to say he never had anything to worry about, but he remained quiet, hugging his best friend. 

"Are we dating now?" Tsukishima asked after a short while. Yamaguchi looked up to meet his beautiful Tsukki's eyes, softly narrowing in a smile. He was too happy to say anything, so he just nodded. They looked at each other like that for a while. "I'm going to kiss you," Tsukishima whispered, and before Yamaguchi could realize what's going on, their lips touched for a second. Only this second, a gentle first kiss of two teenagers sharing mutual love. It was the best thing ever. It was better than everything Yamaguchi ever imagined, mainly because he never let himself fantasize too much, he never believed he had any chance with Tsukishima.

"I'm really glad you're not dating Kuroo," Yamaguchi said when he could finally do something other than blushing and burying his face into Tsukishima's embrace.

"I'm too, that would've been a nightmare" Tsukishima mentioned, stroking his new boyfriend's hair. "You are a much better option."


End file.
